I lost big Jakeyboy yesterday to bone cancer. He was 10. He lost the use of one leg after about 3 months of starting to limp. It is just so hard to not get the feeling that i have let him down as i had to get him put to sleep. Why are our big dogs dying of this terrible cancer. Its something like 80% of Rottweiler's will get cancer so they say. Is it the dry food?. Is it something else?

Most of those dogs are all derived from the mastiff family and they are over bred into close blood lines so they all have the same problems I had a bullmastif that died of it too.I talked to breeder's and that's what they told me.Anyway sorry about Old Jake he'll be on the other side waiting for ya.My dog is a mutt now and 17 year's old his name is Keeper he's on his last legs so i know He'll be going soon.I had great danes bull mastiffs St.Bernard's all were great dog's but this guy has them all beat he is about 120 pounds half black lab and half Aussie shepard been nothing but faithful so i'm going for a mutt next time.

Some breeds it is true for some reason seem to be more prone to cancer than others and whether it is a case of poor breeding or in breeding too much with sever hereditary faults and cancer has yet in dogs to b e proved to be hereditary l would be looking at the food people give their animals.

it is so easy to open a can of dog food and a cup fo dry and think that is sufficient and it is NOT,They need a combination of all kinds of foods as they are strictly not carnivores like cats but need other elements in their food.

Please do not have a go at me l am not referring to you here so l do not need an insulting e-mail when l am trying to help you.

It was NOT your fault that the Dog died of cancer,same as humans cancer seems to be the biggest killer besides road deaths and homicides.

When you get a rotty you have to check so carefully the Breeder and what they h ave bred in the past and how they feed their animals to gauge if they are the right Breeder for you but they can never guarantee a dog will not die of cancer

In my Country as am not in the States we do not have as high a proportion of rotty deaths to cancer as we have so many breeding lines that very few people in breed bar the back yard breeders.

l am lucky so far but l give a more or less as natural a diet as possible although include things like veg,pasta,rice,yolk of egg,chicken wings (raw) raw beef mince and raw bones and so on together with a little dry food and never touch a can of dog food but that is ME.l do give puppies puppy can food and introduce them to all kinds of food as you never know where they will end up so they have to be covered to eat all foods.

There are exponents of pure natural rearing and diets and l can see some good in this but l do a combination as it works for me.

So many times l have read on this site l give my dog kibble and they say nothing else.Would you be happy if you were served up the same tasteless boring meal every day of your life.

Anyhow getting back to your question which is a valid and good one.Start talking to other Rotty people and compare what you all feed your dogs and how similar the pedigrees are so you may find some clue there but in short there is no real answer it is just so so devastating that your beloved animal has to be put down for this horrid disease.

Most likely l have not really helped you at all but it is something to think about

Rottweilers are well known from dying at an early age from cancer. I had two, both of which died from different forms of cancer, and one was just turning 8 years old. I have friends who have had 6 Rotts die from cancer. They are wonderful dogs, but I would never own another one, too much heartbreak. Find another breed of dog. I now own working Border Collies, known to live up to a good 15 years old.

I lost two Rottweilers to cancer, one wasn't even 8 years old.I don't know why they are so prone to cancer.Both of ours were very well bred, from a very reputable breeder, so poor breeding wasn't the problem.I seriously doubt that it's the dog food.

What I do know, is that I'll never own another one.Seems like everyone I know, who owns one, has lost their's to cancer as well.